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Peach and tomato panzanella with warm flatbread
youryum.com/recipes/peach-and-tomato-panzanella-with-warm-flatbread · serves 4

A salad that comes with its own warm bread

A juicy peach and tomato panzanella with toasted bread, plus warm flatbread for scooping up every last drop.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy free
Maren Ashby in her kitchen, in a dark apron, looking away from the camera
By Maren Ashby · Writes and tests everything here
Published 27 August 2026
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Peach and tomato panzanella served with warm flatbread
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Prep
15 min
Cook
10 min
Total
25 min
Serves
4
Per serving
448kcal
Effort
Easy

Some salads need something alongside them. This one needs bread twice: torn country bread in the bowl to catch the juices, and warm flatbread at the table for the last swipe through the dish.

It is a good meal for a hot evening because the oven is on for only ten minutes. The flatbread warms while the tomatoes season, and the peaches stay cool and clean.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Panzanella

To serve

Equipment

  • Large baking tray
  • Large serving bowl

Method

  1. Toast the torn bread

    Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Toss the torn bread with two tablespoons of oil and a pinch of salt. Spread it on a tray and bake for eight minutes, turning once. The rough torn edges should darken before the flatter pieces do, which gives the bowl both crunch and a softer centre.

    Do not chase an even colour. Panzanella needs pieces that behave differently when they meet the tomato juice. The thin corners should be crisp, while the thicker torn pieces should still have a little chew. If every piece is hard, the salad becomes a bowl of seasoned toast. If every piece is pale, it disappears into the dressing. Pull the tray when the first edges look properly brown and let the bread cool while you warm the flatbreads.

    Hands brushing flatbread with olive oil beside toasted bread and summer fruit

  2. Season the tomatoes

    Put the tomatoes and onion in a large bowl with the lemon juice, remaining oil and salt. Leave for five minutes so the tomato juice starts the dressing. Do not add the peaches yet; their cut surfaces are delicate, and they need the bread to be ready before they release their juice.

  3. Warm the flatbreads

    Push the toasted bread to one side of the tray. Brush the flatbreads lightly with oil and warm them in the oven for two minutes. They should bend easily, not become crisp.

  4. Dress the panzanella

    Fold the peaches, toasted bread and herbs through the tomatoes. Wait ten minutes, turning once. The bread should be soft where it meets the fruit and crisp at the edges.

  5. Serve warm

    Put the flatbreads beside the bowl and serve at once. Tear them into the salad at the table or use them to collect the tomato and lemon juices.

Flatbreads bread peaches tomatoes lemon onion olive oil and herbs for panzanella
Warm flatbread makes the bowl generous enough for dinner.

When flatbread turns brittle

Flatbread needs only enough heat to become flexible and smell warm. A dry one can take an extra minute, but a thin one may be ready before the timer rings. Wrap it in a tea towel as it comes out so its own steam keeps the centre soft. If it has already become crisp, break it into the bowl and accept that you have made a second kind of crouton.

There is no need to oil both sides.

Use focaccia, lavash or a plain naan when that is what you have. Focaccia makes the panzanella richer, while lavash gives a thinner, more brittle contrast. A spoonful of hummus on the side is useful if you are serving this as dinner, but do not stir it into the fruit dressing.

A good table version

Put the flatbreads on a plate, the salad in the middle and let everyone tear their own. The bowl stays fresher when people take portions rather than turning it repeatedly.

Warm bread, cool salad

The flatbread is a companion, not another crouton. Warm it in the oven or a dry pan until it bends, then keep it wrapped in a towel so it stays soft. The torn loaf belongs in the bowl because it absorbs the tomato juice. The flatbread belongs beside the bowl so you can scoop up the last of the dressing. If both breads go into the salad, the texture becomes heavy and the peaches lose their place. Let the tomatoes and lemon sit while the bread warms, then add herbs at the end. A warm flatbread beside a cool panzanella makes the meal feel generous without adding another sauce. Use pitta, naan or lavash, but watch the thickness. A thin lavash needs seconds; a thick pitta needs longer and may split. If the salad is travelling, pack the flatbread whole and warm it again before serving if you can.

Nutrition

Per serving, for 4 servings. Estimated from ingredient weights — it moves with the brands and cuts you actually use.

NutrientPer serving
Calories 448 kcal
Protein 11 g
Carbohydrate 66 g
Fibre 7 g
Fat 16 g

Source: Estimated from ingredient weights, USDA FoodData Central

Questions

Can I use naan?
Yes. Plain naan works well, especially if warmed in a dry pan. Avoid strongly flavoured garlic naan if you want the peach to stay clear.
What if I only have pitta?
Warm it whole, then tear it at the table. You can also toast the torn pitta pieces for the bowl.
Can I add cheese?
Crumbled feta or torn mozzarella both work. Add them after the bread so they stay distinct.

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